Tsavo West, Amboseli, Meru & Samburu — January, 2015

[Tom Kellie]

After the battle royale between both Equus quagga

and Nanger granti, we welcomed a change of pace

when we shortly thereafter came upon an informal

nursery crèche of Connochaetes taurinus albojubatus,

White-bearded Wildebeest, with one infant still

having its umbilical cord attached.

Connochaetes taurinus albojubatus in Amboseli

White-bearded Wildebeest

Connochaetes taurinus albojubatus Nursery Herd...Napping

Dropping Down on Her Knees

Awkwardly Learning to Walk

Trust of a Newborn

Umbilical Cord Remains Attached

[Tom Kellie]

Phacochoerus africanus Family Play ‘Chase Me’

For us, one of the most extraordinary animal sightings

of our lives involved a family of three Phacochoerus

africanus, Common Warthog, male, female and three

piglets, improbably playing a game of ‘Chase Me’.

Anthony had never seen anything comparable, nor

had I ever seen such play described in ethology

literature. They ran in circles, the male chasing

the piglets. When he would tire of it, the piglets

returned to taunt and tempt him while the female

looked on. As the images show, they were

having fun as a family group on a sunny

Amboseli morning, and very frankly, so

were we, watching them at play.

Male Chasing Piglet

Three Piglets Racing

Phacochoerus africanus Game

Piglet Leaping Along

Phacochoerus africanus Piglets on the Run

Will You Play With Me?

Phacochoerus africanus Piglets Full of Vitality

Warthogs Running, Zebras Fleeing

Mad Dash!

Leaving Behind the Warthog Family Hijinks

Phacochoerus africanus Boar

Crossing With Sedate Caution

Edited April 13, 2015 by Tom Kellie

[Peter Connan]

Wow @@Tom Kellie, this report is really warming up now! Too many great photos and sightings to single out.

 

I would love any one of the photos of game in front of the beautiful mountain on my wall. The babies (both ellie and wildie, but particularly "ears swept back") and the fighting horses are stunning.

 

But thank you also for the roadside scenes, the sceninc pics of the lodge, all the things that show us, who have not been there, what the country looks like!

[FlyTraveler]

Beautiful and very sharp Zebra and Grant's gazelle fight, Warthog play and Wildebeest infant and mom images! Thanks for sharing your experiences with us!

[Tom Kellie]

Wow @@Tom Kellie, this report is really warming up now! Too many great photos and sightings to single out.

 

I would love any one of the photos of game in front of the beautiful mountain on my wall. The babies (both ellie and wildie, but particularly "ears swept back") and the fighting horses are stunning.

 

But thank you also for the roadside scenes, the sceninc pics of the lodge, all the things that show us, who have not been there, what the country looks like!

 

~ @@Peter Connan:

 

Those fighting horses were savage!

The bites and blows weren't play. We could hear the threatening noises they made to each other.

Amboseli is especially nice as the acoustics aren't interfered with by sound wave-absorbing greenery.

I'm so pleased that you're enjoying the context-setting shots.

I'm writing the trip report thinking of those who've never been, but might be interested in knowing more.

With Appreciation,

Tom K.

[Tom Kellie]

Beautiful and very sharp Zebra and Grant's gazelle fight, Warthog play and Wildebeest infant and mom images! Thanks for sharing your experiences with us!

 

~ @FlyTraveler:

 

Those warthogs were fascinating to watch.

There's no misguided anthropomorphism in saying that they were playing with the male, as their teasing was self-evident.

Certain among my gifted students are hard-core geneticists, believing as a tenet of faith that all action is exclusively gene-motivated, especially with regard to animals.

Could they have witnessed the warthog game of ‘Chase Me’, they might have had cause to reassess their beliefs.

Happily, there's more to come.

Something rather exceptional when two would-be scavengers met.

With Many Thanks!

Tom K.

[Tom Kellie]

Eremopterix leucopareia

~ Looking off to the side of the graveled track we saw very little, driving in the direction of Ol Okenya Swamp. After several quiet minutes this lone Eremopterix leucopareia, Fischer's Sparrow-Lark was spotted. It held a small dark morsel in its bill.

Frequently Observed Oenanthus isabellina

As the morning game drive proceeded it became increasingly apparent that just as Coracias garrulus was the ‘signature bird’ of our Tsavo West safari, Oenanthus isabellina, Isabelline Wheatear, was the ‘signature bird’ of the Amboseli safari. They were in evidence everywhere we drove, invariably solitary.

Quizzical Stance

This turned out to be one of the most true-to-life bird images of the entire safari. This is the particular species which @@Kitsafari mentioned that she especially enjoyed seeing with grass and greenery. Here's another Oenanthus isabellina, Isabelline Wheatear, again with a grass stalk. Close scrutiny suggests that the small stone may have a history of serving as a wheatear perch.

Any Perch Will Do

The stance of the wheatear suggests alertness. This species wasn't especially skittish. They were prudent with regard to the passing safari van, but seldom flew off for no more compelling reason than our mere presence.

[Marks]

@@Marks:

 

That's such a generous compliment, especially given that you're a professional writer.

Well, as to that, let's call it a work in progress. I've had some minor work, but not enough to quit the day job.

 

Rhino Valley Lodge looks simply breathtaking. The path to the restaurant, wow...could almost step into the photo. Love your buffalo portraits, as well. Kind of an underappreciated animal...as far as one of the Five goes, anyway. And finally the dogs scattered around the red dirt track - very photogenic animals.

 

I'm only up to page 10 at the moment but am coming to appreciate not only your photos, but also your injections of insight in the comments.

[twaffle]

Love the zebra, gazelle and warthog sequences, very expressive.

 

I agree with other comments that the wheatear portraits are lovely.

[Marks]

All caught up now. Really liked the ele panoramas, and the little wildebeest is very endearing.

[Tom Kellie]

Love the zebra, gazelle and warthog sequences, very expressive.

 

I agree with other comments that the wheatear portraits are lovely.

~ @twaffle:

 

Thank you! Those sequences were originally prepared to show students certain aspects of animal behavior.

It's a pleasure that they're also of interest to you and other Safaritalk members.

Wheatears have gone from a name in a field guide to a treasured seen-on-safari bird for me.

Traveling plus photography plus identifying in a field guide have the welcome consequence of enlarging my list of ‘safari highlights’.

Tom K.

[Tom Kellie]

All caught up now. Really liked the ele panoramas, and the little wildebeest is very endearing.

 

~ @Marks:

 

The wildbeest nursery crèche was a first for me.

When we came upon it, I was surprised by how small the newborns were, how close together, and how seemingly unruffled their mamas were by our presence.

Lack of experience results in continual surprise out in the field. I don't mind that a bit.

Very glad that you liked the panoramas, with the most stable background subject of all, never flinching in its snow-capped glory.

Tom K.

[Tom Kellie]

 

@@Marks:

 

That's such a generous compliment, especially given that you're a professional writer.

Well, as to that, let's call it a work in progress. I've had some minor work, but not enough to quit the day job.

 

Rhino Valley Lodge looks simply breathtaking. The path to the restaurant, wow...could almost step into the photo. Love your buffalo portraits, as well. Kind of an underappreciated animal...as far as one of the Five goes, anyway. And finally the dogs scattered around the red dirt track - very photogenic animals.

 

I'm only up to page 10 at the moment but am coming to appreciate not only your photos, but also your injections of insight in the comments.

 

 

~ @Marks:

 

Your heart is in writing — that qualifies you as a writer, even if the present is in the early stage of your upward trajectory.

Rhino Valley Lodge is stunning, and so laid-back while remaining an efficient operation.

Meals were served with dispatch, without the slightest issues marring the visit.

To really look at African buffalo is to love them. The individual differences from animal to animal are there, not only in terms of appearance, but also concerning behavior.

I lack the depth of experience and breadth of travel of Safaritalk's most respected members. I'm not even remotely in their league as far as insight goes.

My trip report is that of an amateur, an enthusiast, really, who has developed a love of safaris late in life.

What the trip report lacks in sophistication, may be partially redressed in happiness to have been there at all.

One celebrates life as it plays out, and mine has lately been on Kenya's stage.

Many thanks for your most generous comments.

Tom K.

[armchair bushman]

@@Tom Kellie,

 

I'm getting through your report slowly and enjoying it greatly already.

Considering you study ecology, I thought I might suggest some reading material with some better information than some of the guides you posted in that picture:

Mammals:

- Kingdon Field Guide to Mammals of Africa, by Jonathan Kingdon (I see you have the "pocket" guide, but the main guide isn't much larger and provides so much more information

- Smithers' Guide to Mammals of Southern Africa by Reay Smithers. Although you won't get the east african specialists, the information on the general sub-saharan african species is far superior to Chris and Tilde Stuart's books.

- Behaviour Guide to the Mammals of Africa, by Richard D. Estes. It does not cover bats, rats, shrews, etc, but the information it provides on the medium-large mammals is absolutely second to none. I have gained a much deeper understanding of so many species from this book. Buy this book rather than buying "Safari Companion", which is more basic and does not have distribution maps.

 

Plants:

- Trees of Kenya, by Anne Birnie and Tim Noad

- "Wildflowers of East Africa" by Michael Blundell (IF you can get your hands on it! It's out of print).

 

Reptiles and Amphibians:

- Field guide to The Reptiles of East Africa, by the same authors as your little pocket guide. not an easy to book to lug around on a bush walk, but fine for your lodge room or game drive.

- Amphibians of East Africa by Kim Howell and Alan Channing. not an easy book to get your hands on, but well worth it.

 

I would also recommend ABOVE all else as a priority before your next trip:

- Kenya: A Natural History, by Stephen Spawls and Glenn Matthews http://www.amazon.co.uk/Kenya-Natural-History-Steve-Spawls/dp/1408134713

Covers geology, archaeology, early hominins, the peopling of Kenya, plants, mammals, aquatic fish, marine, arthropods, reptiles, amphibians, conservation

I believe you'd really appreciate this book.

 

Expect to see more from me regarding your photos, which I'm really enjoying.

[Tom Kellie]

@@Tom Kellie,

 

I'm getting through your report slowly and enjoying it greatly already.

Considering you study ecology, I thought I might suggest some reading material with some better information than some of the guides you posted in that picture:

Mammals:

- Kingdon Field Guide to Mammals of Africa, by Jonathan Kingdon (I see you have the "pocket" guide, but the main guide isn't much larger and provides so much more information

- Smithers' Guide to Mammals of Southern Africa by Reay Smithers. Although you won't get the east african specialists, the information on the general sub-saharan african species is far superior to Chris and Tilde Stuart's books.

- Behaviour Guide to the Mammals of Africa, by Richard D. Estes. It does not cover bats, rats, shrews, etc, but the information it provides on the medium-large mammals is absolutely second to none. I have gained a much deeper understanding of so many species from this book. Buy this book rather than buying "Safari Companion", which is more basic and does not have distribution maps.

 

Plants:

- Trees of Kenya, by Anne Birnie and Tim Noad

- "Wildflowers of East Africa" by Michael Blundell (IF you can get your hands on it! It's out of print).

 

Reptiles and Amphibians:

- Field guide to The Reptiles of East Africa, by the same authors as your little pocket guide. not an easy to book to lug around on a bush walk, but fine for your lodge room or game drive.

- Amphibians of East Africa by Kim Howell and Alan Channing. not an easy book to get your hands on, but well worth it.

 

I would also recommend ABOVE all else as a priority before your next trip:

- Kenya: A Natural History, by Stephen Spawls and Glenn Matthews http://www.amazon.co.uk/Kenya-Natural-History-Steve-Spawls/dp/1408134713

Covers geology, archaeology, early hominins, the peopling of Kenya, plants, mammals, aquatic fish, marine, arthropods, reptiles, amphibians, conservation

I believe you'd really appreciate this book.

 

Expect to see more from me regarding your photos, which I'm really enjoying.

 

~ Hello, @@armchair bushman!

 

Thank you so much for the care you put into these superb recommendations.

The names of several are familiar, and the others surely must be of comparable quality.

Your kindness and care — my goodness, merci beaucoup, beaucoup, beaucoup!

I'm especially in your debt for the careful explanations of their advantages.

Beyond ‘helpful’ — indispensable!

What I next write is intentionally oblique, so I trust you'll catch my meaning.

Where I now work and live has been undergoing a continuing crackdown concerning what are labelled as being “foreign” books or media. It's deadly serious and relentless, thus receiving books ordered from other nations has become problematic, regardless of the subject or source.

Thus any material I have has been purchased from among whatever is available at the Gift Shop of the National Museum of Kenya.

I hope to visit there again in two and a half weeks, during the next safari. I've enjoyed the books I have, which have both enabled identification of most species and have supplied a richer context.

After the first two safaris I no longer bring field guides with me, to reduce overall luggage weight and as I found that 98% of my use of them was at my desk in Beijing, rather than in the field.

A priority next month in Nairobi will be books by Kenyan women, as I feel that I haven't heard their voices enough. How they see Kenya will surely deepen my understanding.

I'm surprised and delighted that you honor my work by reading it with care.

As to the images, I'm chagrined as I have no illusions or pretensions about being a qualified nature photographer. My primary interest is in working alongside gifted students, guiding them to look more deeply to observe as many significant factors in an image as possible. I lack the time at present to meaningfully upgrade my aesthetic or technical skills in photography. I hope that at a later date my professional commitments will shift such that improvement might be possible.

For now I'm satisfied with the photos I've taken on safari, as students have generally found them to be useful for increasing their appreciation of ecological context factors.

Recently both @@Geoff and @@Peter Connan have both generously offered advice on improving my photography. Along with your reading recommendations above, I'm directly benefitting from Safaritalk membership without having paid a shilling. Nothing similar has happened to me in decades.

Were I asked what skill I brought to safaris, I'd say ‘observer’. With my seeing eye, years of training, field experience and the patient guidance of others now gone, I've reached the point where observing multiple levels of activity in a landscape is second nature. Going on safari and recording with a camera and lens intensifies the basic skill of landscape observation.

Your post is a welcome jolt of encouragement. Many thanks for writing it.

Tom K.

[Tom Kellie]

Aquila rapax and Canis mesomelas Contend for a Eudorcas thomsonii Carcass

Driving through a grassy plain in late morning, there'd been no sightings or activity. Scanning east,

I saw a distant circling raptor and two dark specks on the ground. I asked Anthony to stop whenever

the track was nearest to them. He couldn't make much out, but through the super telephoto lens I

saw three protagonists — Eudorcas thomsonii, Aquila rapax and Canis mesomelas. My two friends

patiently waited for over half an hour while I observed and photographed a confrontation between

a Black-backed Jackal and a Tawny Eagle, watched by a Thomson's Gazelle. The object of the

confrontation was the carcass of another Eudorcas thomsonii. The two would-be scavengers each

attempted to eat from the carcass, only to be stymied by the other. In the end, they both

abandoned their quest and moved on, leaving the remaining gazelle to mourn alone.

Mourning Gazelle, Famished Jackal

Aquila rapax in the Sky

Watched by a Jackal While Watching Over a Companion

The Three Protagonists — Gazelle, Jackal and Eagle

Flying Up to Postpone Confrontation

Jackal Sallies Towards the Eagle

Not Over Yet, As Three Faces Attest

Jackal Eating the Gazelle Carcass

Warily Watching One Another and the Carcass

Neither the Jackal Nor the Eagle Give Up

Ambushed by the Jackal

Aquila rapax Flying Away from Canis mesomelas

Aquila rapax's Show of Force to Canis mesomelas

As Before, A Standoff

Another Aerial Face-off

Canis mesomelas Challenges Aquila rapax

Departing with an Empty Stomach

[Geoff]

Very interesting Jackal & eagle interaction.

[Tom Kellie]

Redunca redunca, Bohor Reedbuck, in Ol Okenya Swamp

Driving past the verdant green Ol Okenya Swamp, XU Ni noticed

Redunca redunca lying low in the grass. His excellent spotting was

in exactly the same area where Anthony and I had observed Redunca

redunca in February, 2014. The rich red-brown fur and bright eyes

contrast well with their bright green habitat. They stood, looked in

our direction then walked towards open water, rejoining others

lying in the grass. Swamp flies on them are visible in these photos.

Redunca redunca Duo

Redunca redunca

Redunca redunca in Profile

Departing Redunca redunca

Wary Redunca redunca

Redunca redunca in Marsh Grass near Water

Pesky Swamp Flies

Bohor Reedbucks Reunite

[Tom Kellie]

Very interesting Jackal & eagle interaction.

 

~ @Geoff:

 

It was the classic stalemate.

The two were evenly matched in terms of intimidation tactics, persistence and stamina.

Neither would relent, both becoming especially energetic when the other advanced towards the gazelle carcass.

In the end, the standoff faded away with both the eagle and the jackal leaving.

The Thomson's gazelle watching the drawn-out confrontation — what a poignant scene.

This was one of the highlights of our visit to Amboseli.

Another highlight is yet to be prepared and uploaded.

Tom K.

[armchair bushman]

Lovely report keep it coming

Edited April 14, 2015 by armchair bushman

[Marks]

@@Tom Kellie

The jackal/eagle confrontation is really fascinating and captured well, to boot.

Thank you for your kind words in regards to writing. It is nice to find unexpected encouragement!

Have you looked into ebooks at all? I'm sure there are regional restrictions in place as well, and they aren't ideal for consulting in the field (though portability is improved), but it might be worth a try if certain foreign guidebooks are otherwise unavailable to you.

[Tom Kellie]

Lovely report keep it coming

 

~ @@armchair bushman:

 

Thank you!

I'll keep adding until it's too close to the next safari, in two weeks.

I definitely want to finish the visit to Amboseli.

There's at least one more incident of interest which we saw.

Tom K.

[Tom Kellie]

@@Tom Kellie

The jackal/eagle confrontation is really fascinating and captured well, to boot.

Thank you for your kind words in regards to writing. It is nice to find unexpected encouragement!

Have you looked into ebooks at all? I'm sure there are regional restrictions in place as well, and they aren't ideal for consulting in the field (though portability is improved), but it might be worth a try if certain foreign guidebooks are otherwise unavailable to you.

 

~ @Marks:

 

That confrontation was fascinating due to their persistence.

Neither granted quarter to the other. The other Thomson's gazelle sttod nearby, watching it all, likely grieving as only gazelles do.

Your writing is a trajectory to higher realms. One doesn't judge a rocket's performance by its initial few minutes, but rather by the heights it ultimately attains.

My practice is to do 98% of identification at home, where my books sit beside my desk.

In the field its Anthony, my own eye, the camera and the ‘big lens’. That's it.

You're entirely correct that there are indeed extremely stringent, unbending regional restrictions about “foreign” e-books.

One aspect of writing a trip report that I've noticed is that it is an invitation to be fairly loose and experimental with prose. One follows one's instincts, as opposed to aping a style.

Tom K.

[Tom Kellie]

Inimitable

~ Although there are other images of Balearica regulorum, Grey Crowned Crane, in this trip report, I particularly liked this one showing its characteristic stance when foraging in fresh grass as opposed to older dry grass.

Ipomoea sp. with Grass Heads

Why this photo with no action and nothing unusual? Because the grass seeds on the left visually descend to the light purple Ipomoea sp. flowers. The flow of line pulls the eye back to the cup in the center of the flower, which might in part be how a pollinator would perceive the scene.

Garlanded Hippopotamus amphibius Grazing Near Waterfowl

We laughed when we saw this hippo wearing a Hawaiian-style lei. The hill in heat haze in the background is Noomotio, or Observation Hill, a volcanic plug where we would later eat our box lunch.

Amboseli Nymphaea Panorama

What would Claude Monet have felt about this tranquil scene? At the time that this photograph was made, I didn't realize that a tiny Malachite Kingfisher — out of focus — was sitting on the farthest left of the image. Who knew that Amboseli had such ineffable beauty?

Alcedo cristata and Nymphaea

I've particularly looked forward to posting this particular image, as it illustrates what sometimes happens in nature photography. A given image is made for particular reasons at the time. Much later, after returning home from the safari, one is post-processing or looking at the photo in order to apply a caption and spots a visual element which had passed unnoticed in the field. In this case Alcedo cristata, Malachite Kingfisher, was perched on the left of the image.

Tringa glareola Plumage

This Tringa glareola, Wood Sandpiper, startled me. It's proximity to the track almost caused to overlook it. After having spotted it and stopped, it remained still long enough for this portrait to be made.

Amboseli Herdsmen

When visiting in Amboseli National Park in 2013 and 2014, I'd not seen any direct evidence of herd encroachment in the park. These herdsmen were tending goats and cattle fairly deep into the park, directly beside Ol Okenya Swamp where elephant and African buffalo were grazing.

[ld1]

@@Tom Kellie what a beautiful report, taking me back to Tsavo and Amboseli where I haven't been for many many years. Love the superb starling dedication! Its my favourite African bird and I remember being so bowled over by its looks and name when we first arrive. We have many starlings visiting our garden in the UK and I think, they too are superb in their own way.